New JWCC athletics website offers user-friendly upgrade

QUINCY (WGEM) - As John Wood Community College’s men’s basketball coach, Brad Hoyt has been pretty adept at figuring out how to attack a 1-2-2 zone press. As JWCC’s athletic director, he’s taking a crash course about how to build and populate a website.

“Welcome to the world of small college life,” Hoyt said as he prepares the college’s athletic program for the 2022-23 season.

The culmination of about two years of work was revealed in late May when JWCC unveiled an updated athletics website, johnwoodblazers.com Most of the site’s structural framework was put together by the college’s IT department, but Hoyt designed the look of the web pages.

“I got to see a look behind the curtain on building websites,” Hoyt said. “Until you see it, you don’t realize the collateral, time and details involved. Even such things like what colors to use on the front end.”

Hoyt said PrestoSports will power the new site, which allows for better navigation and increased social media content as well as more opportunities for video content. PrestoSports also contracts with the NJCAA so all content uploaded onto the JWCC website, such as game results, statistics, rosters, etc., will sync nationally.

The site also should have a familiar look on all platforms including mobile devices to provide fans with easy, updated content about Blazers’ athletics.

“It was really time for an update,” Hoyt said. “The old website was about 10 years old and it was time. There were accessibility and security issues so it was time.”

As a coach, Hoyt knows how important a school’s website can be when it comes to recruiting.

“There’s no question when it comes to recruiting in this day and age,” Hoyt said. “We are the window into athletics and for some, in turn, the window into the college. It is a tool for our entire community.”

And proving the old adage, you are never to old to learn, Hoyt now not only knows how to attack a zone press, but design a website.

STAFF CHANGES

Hoyt had to fill three positions on the Blazers’ coaching staff:

• After 29 years with the women’s basketball program, the last 23 as head coach, Norm Rodriguez resigned and Hoyt moved quickly to replace him with Lauren Bogle. Bogle was recently a Blazers’ assistant for two years before spending last year as head coach at Lamar (Wyo.) Community College.
• Veteran coach Scott Weston will take over as head coach of the women’s volleyball team.
• Jackson Reckers, a former JWCC student, will head up the esports team.

FACILITIES UPGRADE

Hoyt said two of the major projects for this season include a new soccer field and a new video board for the gym.

“We’ve done a ton of work in the past year to create space for a permanent site for our men’s and women’s soccer programs,” Hoyt said.

Hoyt said the project couldn’t have been completed without financial support from corporate sponsors and donors.

The new video board, paid for with a grant, allows for streaming capabilities during volleyball and basketball games.

In fact, Hoyt spent a lot of time recently trying to figure out how to program the new video board.

“Again, the life at a small college,” Hoyt said with a grin.

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